What can I offer her?
by Animemutt26
Summary: It was supposed to be a simple lunch, but Nick's mind was on anything but food… Do you smell something burning?)


A/N I wanted to try my hand at a Zootopia story, this is to be one of three. Let me know what you guys think I'd love to hear what you think.

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Life in Zootopia had finally gone back to normal since last year. After Bellwether's notorious plan to ruin the lives of the predators in Zootopia was exposed, many mammals continued to live out their lives as if nothing had happened. Judy Hopp's however would never forget, for she had gained something special that day.

That was the day she prove a bunny could become a cop, but so could a fox, it was around that time she and Nick became partners. About a year later however, Judy's friends and colleagues began to notice something different with her and Nick.

Nick was not himself as of late. It was hard to explain but everyone had begun to notice something off in his behavior. His work didn't suffer, but he was " _less of a smart-ass_ " as chief Bogo had put it. When he wasn't at work however he would spend an inordinate amount of time on his phone texting or laughing at something that when questioned he would brush off by saying 'Oh it's not important' or 'you wouldn't be interested'. Even his friends began to see less and less of him as time went on, and when he would hang out with them he would be there but his mind was always somewhere else.

Judy on the other hand begun to act nervous around Nick, avoiding conversion with him when around her fellow offices, especially when they would ask her about how she would spend her days off. Then there were the odd glances at each other when they thought no one was looking. Many began to worry, believing Nick and Judy must have had a falling-out and were considering no longer being partners. But the real surprise came one night when Chief Bogo had to stay late to finish up some paper work.

He had been working for what felt like days, letting out a depressing sigh when he saw the clock read 11:25. He had been working for almost eleven straight hours. _"God I could use some coffee"_ he thought, picking up his mug off his desk he made his way down the dimly-lit hall to the equally dark breakroom. Inside he swore he could hear some whispers followed by giggling, but brushed it off thinking that someone left the mini t.v in the breakroom on again. But upon entering he saw this was not the case, as he found officers Hopps and Wild in a very awkward moment. A moment that may have involved Nick without his shirt and a pair of handcuffs.

"My office now" his tone was not angry or even upset, it was calm. As if he was saying something matter-of-fact.

The two stood in the Bogo's office, clothes disheveled and faces terrified. The thought of being fired loomed in their mind's as they stood in silence.

"How long?" their faces formed a look of confusion as his words broke the silence, they said nothing as the question was still reverberating in their minds. "I'll asked again" he said in a stern tone. "How long has this been going on?"

"Uh sorry sir but… I'm not sure what you mean by that" Nick tried to keep his cool, hopping to play it off as a misunderstanding but he only came off as more nervous. "Don't think me stupid Wild" the chief's voice sounded more stern than before but still not angry. "You two have been acting strange for weeks, and I now have a pretty good idea as to why, so drop the act Wild". Bogo said now leaning over his desk.

"The past two month's sir!" Nick blurted; Bogo said nothing, only leaning back into his chair gesturing for Nick to continue. Nick went on to explain, that after the night-howler incident they had started to become close. It started off innocent enough, the occasional lunch here and there, but it was the night of the Gazelle concert that Nick had decided to ask Judy out. "And it wasn't until a month ago that we… made it… official" The fox started to trail of as he could feel a blush began to creep across his as well as Judy's face.

In a way the chief could understand why they wanted to keep this under wraps. It wasn't that their relationship was uncommon but he understood how it would look to others. Pinching the bridge of his nose to regain his focus he took a deep breath before speaking. "Ok here's what's going to happen, you two-" but before the chief could finish Judy interjected. "Chief Bogo you can't fire us for this, yes we are together, but I don't see what the problem is, yes this is unconventional but it's more common now-a-days" Judy continued speaking feeling bolder with each passing second.

Though the chief was known to have a kind heart and a bit of a sensitive side, he was not known for his patients, and unfortunately Judy showed no sign of letting up, and it didn't help that Judy was now standing on his desk.

"Shut your tiny mouth Hopp's!" Bogo snapped slamming his hoof on the desk, now standing Judy could feel his breath as he was only inches from her face. However this outburst caused Nick to growl at the chief bearing his teeth in the process. Nick did not come across as very fierce for his size but when it came to Judy he could make even tigers pause. Bogo now standing returned to his chair, "Hopp's I'm not going to fire you", "wait you're not" They both said in disbelief. "No" the chief continued "but I will say that the next time you two decide to do something like that again DO IT AT HOME LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!" he shouted, Saying nothing more than "dismissed".

On their way out however "Oh and Hopps, Wild just in case you're wondering… you can keep the handcuffs" he said letting out a slight chuckle. This remark was enough to cause both Nick and Judy to turn a bright red that could have illuminated the dark hallway.

 _(A few weeks later)_

It was a clear day in Zootopia, perfect picnic weather and many of the residents in central Zootopia as well as Tundra town where taking full advantage of it. Nick Wild on the other hand was spending this day inside. Nick didn't get many chances to hang with his friend Finnick on days like this, since becoming a cop took up most of his days off and relationship with Judy, now public knowledge took up the rest. But the small fox was nothing if not patient. After Nick got a day off and Judy said she would be working that day, Nick saw this as an opportunity to have lunch with his buddy and catch up.

Finnick lived in the Rhino district of central Zootopia, a studio apartment that many larger mammals would consider cramped, but to Finnick's small stature it felt more a like house. While the kitchen and living room did occupied the same space, only being separated by a cheap looking table, there was another door that lead to a privet bathroom, something Finnick was very pleased with. The only other piece furniture was an old looking green couch that often left Nick wandering if Finnick found it on the side of the road somewhere.

Entering through the rather large front door grocery bag in hand Nick greeting his friend with a wave, Finnick had just finished washing his laundry and was half way through folding them on his dirty looking couch " _isn't he just going to have to wash that all over again_ " Nick thought as he set the bag on the table and began to empty its contents.

It hadn't been more than ten minutes before Finnick started to smell something off. Looking over at his friend he found Nick standing on a stool so he could be equal height with the stove staring off into space with a look on his that he only wore when he was with- 'oh dear'.

"Hey Nick how's that grub coming man I'm starving?" he said but received no response. "Nick?" still nothing, "Yo Nicky… HEY!" he shouted snapping Nick out of his trance.

"Hmm say what, you say something?" Nick muttered not realizing he was daydreaming. "Yeah man the grub?" Finnick reminded him

"Grubs, I thought we were having veggie-burgers?" Nick said still not completely back to earth yet.

"Aw forget it your minds not on food, looks to me like you're thinking of some little thing with long ears and you're smelling that sweet perfume- _cough, cough_ " Finnick choked as smoke began to fill the apartment.

"Oh shoot the food!" Nick said now realizing what was happening.

"You're burning the chow!" Finnick said rushing over, in only a few seconds Finnick had pulled a chair over and remove the burgers from the stove fanning the smoke away with an old towel.

"Sorry buddy, guess I was thinking about Judy again, I can't help it, I love her" Nick apologized opening a window to air out the apartment.

"Look this ain't the dark ages, stop day-dreaming and just-just marry the girl" the little fox said inspecting what was left of their food.

"Marry her!" Nick said slightly taken a-back to hear Finnick suggest the idea like it was no big deal. "A fox doesn't just walk up to a bunny hand her bouquet and say, hey I've been in-love with you for a little over a year now will you marry me? No… it just isn't done".

"Aw come on Nick climb the castle walls" Finnick paused, a look of disgust formed across his face as he examined the charred remains of what was once their lunch. "Sweep her off her feet, carry her off in style".

"Now who's stuck in the dark ages", Nick chuckled, his smile did not last however as he continued. "It's no use anyway I've thought it over and over, besides what have I got to offer her?"

"Well you can scratch cooking off the list" he said biting down on a piece of chaired meat only to spit back out.

"I'm serious she has bright future ahead of her, she's hard working, smart, makes friends with almost everyone, and what have I done?"

"Yeah I know, you think she's better than you I get it". Finnick just rolled his eyes, having heard this topic at least a dozen times before.

"I don't think I know" without realizing it Nick had begun to fold Finnick's laundry, not that he minded but somehow it seemed to make him feel better.

"So she classy, so what?" the small fox said placing the charred burger meat _(if you could call it that anymore)_ off to the side in order to start a new batch.

"I'm a former con-artist and a fox that's in-love with a bunny, what kind of a life is that? No she deserves better".

"Oh Nickolas you've turned your life around and made something of yourself too, why you should be proud of that". The sudden appearance of a new voice had startled Nick causing him to stumble backward onto the pile of folded clothes. Looking up hopping to discern the source of this familiar voice he was greeted by the face of an old friend of his and Finnick's a raccoon by the name Roy.

Roy was not what you would call young by any standard. The aged raccoon was in his late thirty's to yearly forty's. Dressed in a simple blue button-up shirt with a light brown tweed jacket, dark blue jeans with a pair round framed glasses that seemed almost too big for his narrow snout.

"Did you hear that Finnick? We've been given a second chance" Nick joked trying to pull himself off the laundry that was now strewn all over the floor.

"That's a gas, hey can you expunge our records while you're at it?" Finnick laughed

"Laugh it up you two rouges", Roy said walking over to Finnick helping himself to one of the burnt burgers, "but you'll never know unless you try, Whoo! That's well done isn't it?" he said regretting his decision. "And Nick you've been dating her for almost a year, Judy wouldn't be with you if she didn't care about you, she's not letting a little thing like your past bother her, so why are you letting it bother you".

How did this happen, Nick suddenly found that almost every predator in his life was telling him to go for it, that it's ok for a fox to marry a bunny as if it was the most common thing in the world.

"Look, as nice as that sounds I can't just-", but nick was cut short when he heard his phone go off. The familiar tune of (Roar by Kitty Perry) signaling that he had reserved a text from Judy. The message was short and only reading, " _Bogo has assignment for us, come in_ ".

Seeing this as his way out Nick began to make his way toward the door. "Sorry guy duty calls, I'll catch you later" he said as he rushed out the apartment, trying his best to avoid the continuation of the conversation. As Nick walked down the empty apartment hall he started thinking about what Roy said " _You'll never know unless you try_ ". "Well someone's been listening to Gezell but I guess he's right, what's the worst that could happen?"

The End


End file.
